Chat Node
In many workflow scenarios, you might need to have a conversation with an AI agent to get more details, clarify information, or explore a topic before moving on to the next steps. The Chat Node is designed for these situations, allowing for dynamic, interactive conversations within your workflow.
What is a Chat Node?
A Chat Node is a component that facilitates a back-and-forth conversation between a human user and a designated AI agent. It pauses the workflow to allow for this interaction and then continues once the user decides to end the chat.
When to use a Chat Node?
Consider using the Chat Node when:
- You need to conduct a consultation or discovery session with an AI.
- The workflow requires nuanced input that is best gathered through a conversation.
- You want to provide a user with an opportunity to ask questions or get help from an agent at a specific point in the workflow.
- You need to refine a query or instructions for a subsequent node through dialogue.
Here are some common scenarios where a Chat Node excels:
| Scenario | Example |
|---|---|
| Customer Support | A workflow for troubleshooting an issue could use a Chat Node to allow the user to describe their problem in detail to a support agent. |
| Content Creation | Before drafting a blog post, a Chat Node can be used to brainstorm ideas and refine the outline with a creative agent. |
| Sales & Marketing | A workflow for qualifying leads could use a Chat Node to ask a series of questions to a potential customer and gather their requirements. |
| Personalized Recommendations | A movie recommendation workflow could use a Chat Node to chat with the user about their preferences before suggesting movies. |
| Client Discovery | Before generating project deliverables, a Chat Node can be used to understand client requirements, goals and constraints in detail. |
How a Chat Node Works
The Chat Node operates through a systematic process:
- When a workflow execution reaches a Chat Node, it pauses.
- A chat interface opens up, initiated by a pre-configured first message from the selected agent.
- The user can then have a full conversation with the agent, sending and receiving messages.
- The user decides when the conversation is complete and clicks a button to "Finish conversation & Continue".
- The entire conversation history is saved as the output of the node, which can be referenced by subsequent nodes in the workflow.
Configuring a Chat Node
To set up a Chat Node, you need to configure the following components:
1. Agent Selection
You must choose an agent to handle the conversation.
- Click "Select an agent" to choose from your available agents.
- Pick an agent with expertise relevant to the conversational task.
2. First Message Configuration
You need to set the initial message that the agent will send to start the conversation.
- In the "First Message" field, write the opening message.
- You can use variables to reference human inputs or outputs from previous nodes to make the message more contextual.